Violet Skies
by Phosphosiderite
Summary: Phosphosiderite had never wanted this for Earth, even when her best friend refused to value the life on it, and even when Yellow Diamond had stopped her from rebelling. 6,000 years later, she finally has the second chance she needed to save Earth. Jasper/Gem OC pairing, may be NSFW in the future.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The December night was cold. From inside the small temple house, Steven could see the beach being thickly blanketed in snow. Wind knocked at the shutters and ran through the bushes outside, but was untouchable to him as he settled onto the couch with his best friend.

"Wow! I can't believe your parents let you stay the night here!" Steven exclaimed.

"Yeah, well…" Connie began, "Since my family isn't really big on Christmas, they were okay with me staying for," she changed tones, mimicking her mother. "J _ust. One. Night!_ " They both giggled.

"Howdy," Garnet gave the children a small smile, handing them each a cup of hot cocoa. "Amethyst and I just stopped at the store and got-"

" _Dog Copter!_ " Amethyst flew in, shapeshifted into Dog Copter, with the movie in her mouth. "Limited Holiday Edition!"

"Aww, thanks guys!" Steven exclaimed. "wanna watch it now, Connie?"

"Sure, Steven! Just don't tell my parents," she giggled nervously.

They put the movie in and nestled under the blankets.

 _**POP!**_

The last thing Phosphosiderite could remember was the war.

"Jasper, _please_ , just listen to me. Maybe these humans have feelings-"

"Are you really going on about this _again?_ Seriously, Sid, you're starting to sound like that traitor, _Rose Quartz._ You know there's no hope for her army," Jasper scoffed.

"Well, maybe Rose wasn't wrong…" she muttered.

"Listen, Sid," Jasper began. "Rose is delusional. All she sees is the life forms of those humans. She values that over how meaningless, uneventful, short… You get the point? Their lives aren't worth saving, not more than a grain of sand on their Earth's beach. They're nowhere near the strength or intelligence of us. They're _weak,_ and I don't want them getting a hold of you. You're too important."

Sid couldn't believe Jasper's words. It was undeniable that humans lived shorter lives than gems, but she knew they were just as valuable as any life form on homeworld. She believed that all lives had meaning, no matter how _weak_ they were made out to be, however Jasper had no concept of the value of Earth, and wasn't planning on learning, even from her best friend. The Earth was beautiful, though. Phosphosiderite couldn't bear to watch the creatures of it be enslaved by a race built on invasion and greed. She gazed into the other gem's eyes, and despite the millennia they had known each other, she was unable to tell her how much she loved her.

"Of course… I'm sorry, Jasper. I just get carried away sometimes-" She felt a blade pierce her center, burning her form and causing her to transform into violet dust. Yellow Diamond simply kicked the stone to the side, allowing the ocean to consume it and carry it away.

"We don't need any _more_ traitors, now do we, Jasper?" she shrieked in laughter. "Trust me, I knew something was off about her attitude from the start. Not _bloodthirsty_ enough, like you and I. Too bad though, she was powerful. The other side doesn't need that type of power, though."

Jasper fell to her knees, shoreline approaching her. She could hardly believe what had happened, how Yellow Diamond had destroyed a gem so easily, with _pleasure_ , even. "Phosphosiderite…" Tears fell from her cheeks, blending with the salty ocean water. She looked towards her leader, sobbing. "She was my best friend, and you just… kicked her aside like she was some _human!"_

"Oh, lighten up, you'll find a new friend! I hear Emerald is looking for a training partner, if that's what you like."

Yellow Diamond brushed the incident off and left to tend to her troops. Once she had left, Jasper crawled beneath the surface of the water, searching desperately for her friend in between tufts of seaweed and coral. Retrieving her from the bottom of a tide pool, she carefully set the gem in a safe place. It was a flower peppered valley east of the war zone, where Jaser was sure she would be safe.

"Phosphosiderite," she whispered. "Stay here. You'll be safe, I promise." Jasper ran from the field before anyone could find her, leaving the gem behind.


	2. Chapter 2

She awoke with a jolt, pressing the area she was stabbed so long ago. The flowers had gone away millennia ago and were replaced with a quickly accumulating blanket of snow, shimmering under the soft moonlight.

A noise broke the tranquil silence, startling her. She turned towards it to find a small beach house in the hands of the Crystal Gems' temple.

"What?" she was shocked. the place looked a thousand years old, and from the small house, fluorescent light intermingled with firelight to create a glow seen from all around the area. "What happened-"

" _Snowball fight!_ " Phosphosiderite hid behind a boulder, pulling her double sword from her gem as she observed the source of the noise.

"A human child?" she whispered to herself.

"Oh, no! You can't run from me now!" the girl roared as a hard-packed snowball was launched from her hand.

"Hey- Ah! Okay, you got me! You win!" the boy had been knocked to the ground by the force of the snowball, hit directly in his gem.

"Maybe I should have put on a coat before this…" he pulled his shirt up, exposing the gemstone that lay in place of his belly button. "Hey, cool! It's got frost on it!"

"What are you…?" Sid whispered. Bad decision.

"Cool- Wait, did you hear that noise, Steven?" the girl asked.

"No, what happened?" she followed him through the cold air, towards a towering boulder.

"H-Hey! Don't hurt me!" she backed away nervously, weapon in hand.

"Whoa! Who are you?" the girl asked. "Steven, I didn't know there were more of you guys-"

"I don't know who she is…" Steven said warily as he summoned his bubble around the two.

Startling the gem, she stepped back, retreating her weapon.

"It's okay. I don't want to hurt anyone, not any more…" she trailed off. "My name is Phosphosiderite. I'm a gem and I want to fight for the Earth and all its inhabitants."

"Phos- Wait, what?" Steven asked.

"Oh, yeah," Sid smiled. "You can just call me Sid."

"In that case, hi, Sid! My name is Steven, and this is Connie." he removed his bubble. "But where have you been this whole time? Are there others like you on Homeworld, who like Earth?"

"Well, I was in the gem war a long time ago, but when I tried to fight on Rose's side, Yellow Diamond caught me talking about it and stabbed me before I could rebel. That sword must have had some serious magic, though, because it looks like I've been out for a few thousand years. I just regenerated, right before I met you two."

"Oh! The gems'll love to meet you-" Steven exclaimed.

" _Steven!"_ a gem came sprinting from the beach house, followed by two others.

"Don't hurt her, Garnet!" Steven yelled, jumping in front of Sid and summoning his shield. "She's a nice gem, guys!"

The Crystal Gems failed to lower their weapons.

"State your name and purpose," Garnet demanded.

"My name is Phosphosiderite, and-"

"Sid, for short," Steven interrupted.

"Oh- Yes. I was in the gem war millennia ago. I wanted to fight for Earth, alongside Rose Quartz, but Yellow Diamond overheard my plans and stopped me before I could. I've been trapped in my gem this whole time."

"Garnet, do you really believe her?" Pearl wailed. "She could be one of Peridot's spies!"

Garnet thought for a moment. "Let's go back to the temple and decide this for ourselves. Lately, corrupted gems have been more attracted to us than before, and with Lapis and Jasper out there, we need all the gems we can take in."

"Yay! So does that mean she can stay?" Steven asked.

"She can stay for now-"

"Woo-hoo!" Steven retrieved his shield and ran to hug Garnet.

When they returned to the beach house, Sid was astonished by the technology that it held.

"What's that?" she asked, touching the television.

"Aww, what? You've never watched TV before, have you?" Steven and Connie took joy in explaining how far humankind has come since the Rebellion- technology, inventions, and even space travel.

"Wow. I knew there was something wonderful about humans, something that most other gems couldn't dream to grasp," she thought about Jasper and her inability to understand the value of a life. "Have you been in contact with Homeworld at all since then?"

"Steven, I don't think you should be telling a gem we found tonight all of this. Phosphosiderite, we can tell you once you've proved yourself trustworthy." Garnet stated.

"I understand. It wouldn't exactly be smart to tell a possible enemy all you know," Sid froze, laughing nervously. _Wow. That probably wasn't the best thing to say at the moment,_ she thought.

"Yeah. Probably not," Garnet paused, staring at Phosphosiderite suspiciously. "Steven, maybe you two should go to bed. I've heard Santa is almost here."

"Aww, Garnet! It's only 10:00!" Steven complained as Amethyst walked in with a batch of cookies.

"I call whatever Santa doesn't eat!" she set set the plate of cookies on a tray near the Christmas tree.

"Come on to bed, you two," Pearl led them to Steven's bed, away from the unfamiliar gem. "And you," Pearl pointed at Sid. "Phosphosiderite, sit by the warp pad so Garnet can watch you."

The lights had shut off, leaving only lingering eyes and unbroken silence throughout the Temple.


	3. Chapter 3

After several hours, the children had fallen fast asleep, their faint snoring heard throughout the house. The Gems, however, were vigilant in watching Phosphosiderite.

"So, when did you regenerate, _weirdo?"_ Amethyst quirked an eyebrow.

"As soon as your small humans found me, which was tonight. I understand your suspicion of me, but I want to be a part of your team. I want to be a Crystal Gem. I had always believed in you, but I know that it's going to take more than one night to gain your trust."

"Yeah, pretty much. Garnet and Pearl just kinda… found me in a Kindergarten one day and decided to take me in. The Kindergartens aren't working any more, though. None of it is."

Oh, thank goodness. I mean, nothing against you-"

"No, I know. I shouldn't be here," Amethyst muttered. "The whole thing was just a big mistake-"

They were interrupted by a man stumbling through the house in a red suit.

"Who-" Sid burst out. "Is that the Santa you had mentioned earlier?"

"Oh, yeah, that's just Greg. He's Steven's dad, but on Christmas, he's Santa," Amethyst told her.

"Hey, guys!" Greg whispered loudly. He slid several decorated boxes under the tree, nearly waking the children up as he tripped over the Christmas tree lights. He hadn't seemed to notice the new gem sitting in the far corner of the warp pad room.

Garnet appeared behind him in a red suit, also carrying several wrapped boxes under her arms. She placed them under the tree alongside Greg's, and they both left the beach house.

"Good thing he didn't notice you," Amethyst snickered. "That would have been awkward."

The remainder of the night had been filled with heavy stares and intrusive questions. The gem felt interrogated, however all of the questions were answered until one final query struck her.

"Have you seen Jasper or Lap-" Amethyst was interrupted by a subtle gasp.

"Jasper… You know her?" she remembered the gem, the millennia they had spent together until Yellow Diamond had _intervened._ _How much have things changed?_ She thought.

"Yes. She is fused with another gem, Lapis Lazuli, and is now at the bottom of the ocean," Garnet explained. "Before that, she tried to kill all of us, and nearly succeeded until Lapis got a hold of her."

"I guess she has changed," tears escaped her as she explained how close her and Jasper were, how Jasper had nearly joined the Rebellion. "If it weren't for Yellow Diamond, she and I could have been Crystal Gems. We could have helped. I had almost convinced her to leave everything behind with me so we could fight in the Rebellion, but she was so brainwashed I didn't want to anger her. The choice between her and humanity may seem obvious to you, but she meant so much to me. I loved her, and I just couldn't let her go," she buried her face in her hands.

"Whoa, wait. Are we both talking about the same Jasper? Big, orange with muscles? Hates everyone?" Amethyst questioned.

"How could you love someone like her?" Pearl asked, shocked.

"There were different sides of her, you know; sides she wouldn't let anyone else see but me. That's why I wanted to be with her. I knew there was so much more to her than bloodthirst, than the rage that the wars had taught her. I could see it transforming her, and she was brainwashed by the time I had even tried to do anything. I tried to tell her how different things were, but she refused to listen. She was afraid to listen," Phosphosiderite sighed.

Silence enveloped the Temple, interrupted only by Steven's occasional snoring and the snow gently falling outside. After long enough, morning sunlight surged through the windows, illuminating the Temple and awakening Connie.

"Steven!" she whispered excitedly. "Wake up, it's Christmas morning!"

"Huh?" he mumbled. "I don't see any zebras, Pearl, we're in-"

"Oh, come on, Steven! You're such a heavy sleeper. C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!" she spoke the word with clarity and volume.

He rose from the bed, nearly tripping over the toys that cluttered the small sleeping area.

"Santa was here," he breathed.

"He sure was, kiddo!" Greg walked in, grinning as he helped the children onto the couch. "I brought you guys Christmas sweaters! Even for the gems!" he brought in a large pile of garments, decorated with embroidery and glitter.

"Thank you, Greg, but-" Pearl began.

"Oh, come on, it's just a Christmas sweater. get in the spirit!" he picked a small fleece sweatshirt from the mound. "Uh, I've been around here for twenty five years and I've never seen _her"_ Greg gestured towards Sid.

"I am Phosphosiderite," she shook his hand, smiling gently. "And you're Greg?"

"Do you have a nickname or something? Sorry, that one's a mouthful," he chuckled.

"Oh, you can just call me Sid," she assured him.

"Come on, let's open presents!" Steven took their hands, leading them to the Christmas tree.

"Steven, be careful around her," Garnet warned.

"Well, even if I _tried_ to fight you guys, I obviously wouldn't succeed. Five gems against one doesn't sound very likely to me," Shrugged Sid.

"Fine," Garnet said. "Just sit there, on the couch."

"Garnet! This is her first Christmas in 6,000 years-"

"Actually, I've never had a Christmas before. I wouldn't even know what it was if it weren't for the gems. They explained it to me," she admitted. "Now, what is this thing I'm supposed to put on?"

"It's a Christmas sweater. Look, it's got a cute snowman on it!"

"He looks pained," she frowned at the embroidered sweater. An eye was falling off, and the fabric was similar to that of dog hair.

"Oh, those things are supposed to be ugly," he turned to Steven. "Now, let's see what Santa got you, Shtoo-ball!"

They gathered around the Christmas tree, glowing with excitement as the gems watched Steven, Connie, and even Greg open the presents.

"Wow, I got a new ukulele! Thanks, dad!" the boy embraced his father, full of love and gratitude. Occasions such as this went on for nearly an hour, until all that was left was ripped wrapping paper and stale euphoria.

During this time, Garnet had cooked the children breakfast. They each received plated piled high with pancakes, eggs, and bacon, topped with syrup and whipped cream.

"Wow, Garnet!" Connie exclaimed, mouth full of food. "If you don't eat, how can you cook so well?"

"Cooking isn't difficult. Since humans have been perfecting it over thousands of years, I've learned how to do it. Especially when Amethyst eats like a horse," Garnet winked.

"You bet I do!" she stormed in, eating all leftovers in sight.

"Of course," Connie said to herself. "Hey, Mr. Universe, what time is it? I have to be back home by 12:00."

"Oh, man, we gotta go. I'll meet you in the car, I can't let your mom and dad see me in Christmas pajamas," he rushed to his van.

"Thanks for the presents, guys! I'll see you later!" Connie hugged Steven tightly, wishing him luck with Phosphosiderite. "She seems like a nice gem to me, and I know things'll be great now that you guys have an extra helping hand around! Especially since the _others_ have been causing you problems."

They departed the small beach house with promises of phone calls and adventures to come, driving through the thick layer of snow with ease.


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearly 12:15 by the time Greg had gotten Connie to the Maheshwaran's house, but Steven didn't mind being a little late. He loved how the beach shimmered with snow, and watching it all through the car window made it feel so _fleeting._ Every moment passed him so quickly, scenery spanning from ocean to forest to snowbanks in a matter of seconds. The wonder never left him, no matter how many car rides he went on.

When they arrived at the Temple, Steven and his father had decided to spend the day together, leaving the gems alone.

Garnet stood up, approaching the warp pad. "We can't just sit here and watch Phosphosiderite like she's a child. We have missions to attend to, and the _real_ test is whether or not she can help us with them.

"Of course I can! If missions are a part of being a Crystal Gem, I can handle it. Earth has been my home ever since the Rebellion, and even if I haven't been conscious the entire time, I want to be there for these humans. I'll do whatever it takes for you to trust me. Plus, if I didn't want to be a Crystal Gem, I could have easily fled when i had the chance; as soon as I regenerated," she told them, eyes wide.

"Alright. Let's go," said Garnet.

" _What?_ " Pearl wailed. "It's only been one night!"

"Are you _serious?_ " Amethyst was shocked.

"If Rose hadn't spared us, we wouldn't be here right now. I can tell she has good intentions, and if she tries to overpower us, we can easily defeat her. Now, let's go. Last night, I heard another corrupt gem in the jungle-" a rumbling noise from afar interrupted her, shaking the house. "We need to go."

They gathered on the warp pad, now slightly crowded with the new gem. She was nearly Garnet's height, however her features contrasted that of hers, with a stocky build and long magenta hair tied back into a ponytail.

"Everyone stand still. They can sense us-" Garnet turned to find several giant ape-like creatures raced towards them, each around two stories tall.

"They're so big!" exclaimed Amethyst, leaping into action. "It's been a long time since we've seen ones this size."

"They're drawn in by Sid, since more gem energy attracts them. It doesn't matter though, because if we don't bubble them, they'll destroy everything-" the corrupted gems began crushing the warp pad. "Pearl, fuse with Amethyst."

Garnet raced into battle, catching up with Phosphosiderite, who had already gotten one of the beasts on the ground.

"It's hard to get their gems-" she dodged a hit from its powerful fist. "They're behind the stupid thing's arms!"

She jumped into the trees and launched herself onto the monster, slamming it into the ground as she summoned her double sword. She slit its throat, resulting in the ape bursting into brown dust. She collected its gem and moved further into the jungle.

Sid sensed them all around her, dozens of the creatures hiding throughout the trees and brush. One after another, she penetrated them with her blade, and one after another she collected their gems, until her arms were nearly full of the cocoa-colored stones.

Rushing back to the warp pad area with the gems, she met Opal and Garnet, who had defeated several of their own.

"Hey, guys!" she exclaimed. "There were a lot more of them deeper into the jungle, but don't worry, I defeated them all. Here, you should probably bubble these," she handed them to Pearl and Amethyst, who had long since unfused.

"Great work, Sid," Garnet congratulated her. "You've been an asset to us in this mission. Once you've become and integrated member of the Crystal Gems, you can unlock your own region of our Temple. For now, though, you can stay in the house with Steven."

They warped back to the Temple. The sun had set, bathing the house in a scarlet twilight.

"Finally, you guys are back!" he complained. "What were you _doing_ for so long?"

"We were on a mission with Sid. So far, she has proved herself useful and successful in combat," Garnet smiled.

"That's great!" he yawned, falling flat in his bed. "I'm sleepy. Can you tell me a bedtime story, Sid?"

"I don't understand. You want me to tell you a story that makes you fall asleep?" she tilted her head in confusion. "Shouldn't stories be interesting enough to keep you awake?"

"No- Well, yeah, I guess. Bedtime stories are supposed to help you get to sleep, and since I don't really know anything about you, it would be fun," he gestured her towards the bed.

"Well, I guess I'll tell you about how I got to know Jasper," _since I can't get her out of my head,_ she thought.

"I was only a few thousand years old, and I was learning how to take full advantage of my double sword. Jasper was very young, however she was raised into combat and battle, so she was fighting even at only a century old. Of course, she didn't know how to use her weapon, so she fought with an axe.

"Oddly enough, even at her age, she was positioned to train in battles with me, so she and I fought together. This was millennia before the war, but it was required for all gems to be able to wield their weapons, and have some degree of experience training with them. I guess that's why we have a weapon, after all.

"Anyways, the Diamond Leadership would assign us dueling partners until we had our basic training skills, and as the story goes, I was paired with Jasper. Even after we both completed basic training, we went on to higher levels of training, and I even got to see her summon her helmet for the first time!

"I guess from then on we really got to know each other, and the thousands of years after that were spent becoming best friends. We both got promoted to generals in the Kindergartens. I was working under Rose, and Jasper was working under Yellow Diamond, so we were seeing each other less until Rose rebelled. I was transferred to Yellow Diamond, and we were closer for just a little while, until I got poofed.

"You know," she sighed. "I think that even the day I met her, there was something about her that I couldn't place. It just felt _right_ being around her. It's probably weird, hearing all of this after she hurt you and captured your friends, but-" she looked down at the boy. He was unconscious, quiet snoring escaping him.

"Well, I guess my story worked. Goodnight, Steven Universe," she whispered, gently moving from his bed. She left the sleeping boy behind as she gazed into the sky, wondering how things had changed since she had left the galaxies behind so long ago.


	5. Chapter 5

Mission after mission, Phosphosiderite became more trustworthy, integrating herself into the Crystal Gems. After years of experience together, they began to work as a team, Sid even giving advice on occasion.

It was Steven's seventeenth birthday before any distress was felt from the ocean. Before then, Malachite had been on the edge of stability and chaos for several years, sending the occasional colossal wave towards the beach, but otherwise sedentary. Sid wondered about the safety of having Malachite exist, but now, it was nearly certain they were on the brink of unfusing.

"Ruby, Sapphire!" Steven called to them. It had become a birthday tradition for Garnet to unfuse for every one of Steven's birthdays, and since age 13, he would beg to see the two of them together. "Come on, we're gonna take a group picture!"

Even the Maheshwarans had joined in for the beach party. The skies had been sunny when the party began, however the clouds were quickly approaching from the oceans.

He and Connie looked out towards the sea. The water had a deep green tint, and the tide was coming in so steeply, only several yards of the beach were spared.

"Oh, well, I guess no swimming," Connie sighed. "It's still been loads of fun, though, being with you guys," she blushed.

"Yeah…" Steven gazed at the ocean grimly. "I've never seen it look like this before."

"I'm sure it's just a thunderstorm or something," Connie smiled reassuringly.

As time passed, the clouds multiplied, releasing heavy rain that forced the gems to head inside and the Maheshwarans to leave, speeding away in their SUV.

"I'll call you later, Steven!" Connie yelled from the car's window.

Later that day, as Steven was talking with Connie, the other gems had gathered in Garnet's room for a meeting.

"You all saw what happened to the ocean today. It wasn't right, and I definitely think Malachite is behind it. We need to get to the source of this immediately," Garnet was refused and ready to take action.

"I agree. But once we find her- or _them,_ -can I please try to talk to Jasper? She trusted me, and I think that she would want to join our side if she knows I'm here," Sid explained.

" _What?"_ Pearl screeched. "She's far too unstable! We don't know what type of threat she could pose, and-"

Garnet interrupted her. "We need her on our side. Even though Sid has been a huge help on missions, Homeworld could be looking for her and Lapis, and if they come for us, we could actually stand a chance if we have more gems with us. Plus, if she tries to fight, I'm stronger than her."

"I guess you're right," Pearl said nervously. "Since Rose is gone, it's fractured the strength of our team, and so many died in the last war it would be catastrophic to have another one."

"As long as Lapis doesn't try to fight us, it would be easy to capture her. Now, we need to act quickly. Let's go, gems," Garnet prepared a yellow raft, large enough to fit all of them.

The chaos had transferred itself from the sky to the ocean, waves crashing against the base of the Temple under a clear night sky.

"This thing isn't going to last a minute on that water," Amethyst scoffed.

"We can always just swim if the raft breaks, anyways," Sid shrugged, placing herself near the edge of the boat as she looked into the ocean.

They started their trek on the unrelentingly chaotic waters the moment Steven fell asleep. After several hours of sailing, they approached a large whirlpool, emitting pillars of green light that reached the stars. The waves ripped at the raft until it had nearly fallen apart, barely keeping the weight of all of them.

"This thing doesn't look like it can hold up much longer!" Amethyst yelled over the roaring seas. "I think we need to jump-" she was interrupted by a colossal wave that forced them into the whirlpool, consuming and destroying the remnants of the boat.

Phosphosiderite was ripped from her team, falling through the eye of the storm and landing on the immense mane of Malachite.

" _Jasper!"_ Phosphosiderite screamed. "Can you hear me?"

The fusion was writhing and pulling at her own chains.

"You can't _keep me here!_ " Jasper was heard through Malachite's mouth. "You're not doing this to save _anyone!_ All you want is someone to trap-" Malachite's eyes searched the ocean frantically until she spotted Phosphosiderite. Between Jasper's recognition and Lapis' confusion, Malachite fell apart the moment she laid eyes on her.

The whirlpool caved in, crushing them all under the weight of the sea. Sid could barely make our Jasper's silhouette, grabbing her arm and dragging them both to the surface of the ocean.

"Phosphosiderite?" Jasper said weakly. "Is that you?"

"Jasper, I'm so glad you're okay!" Sid's eyes filled with tears. "Just hang in there, I'll get us back to shore-" she could feel Jasper's body relax as her eyes fluttered closed.

"I'm _not_ okay. Have you destroyed the Crystal Gems?"

"I _am_ a Crystal Gem, Jasper. I'll explain it when we get out of this stupid water," Sid struggled to support both their weight as she swam towards the shore, the lights of the Temple barely visible.

"How could you betray everything we stood for?" she growled. "You… _traitor!"_

"If you had listened to me during the Rebellion, we could have joined them together, fighting for this planet. You've never understood, have you? You're a slave to Yellow Diamond, and you always have been. And now that we're both here, on Earth, we finally have the chance we've been waiting for need to live a valued life, one without all the dictatorships and bloodthirst and-" she could still remember Yellow Diamond's sword, the way it burned through her core. "You remember what she did to me."

"This planet is _hopeless_!" Jasper yelled with all her strength, body turning limp as they washed up on the shore. Her eyes filled with tears. She knew that there was no hope left for her, and the chances of her fighting were remote. She wasn't stronger than them, and they all knew it. The utter dread and defeat she felt consumed her. " _I'm hopeless,"_ she muttered, vision darkening as she felt warm arms around her. Sid lifted her off the ground, carrying the unconscious gem to the Temple. She sat in stunned silence as the other gems towered above her, sun peeking behind the horizon and casting golden light onto the peaceful ocean.


	6. Chapter 6

"I didn't know gems could fall asleep from exhaustion," Sid wondered as she lied on the couch alongside Jasper.

"Me neither, I just do it 'cause it feels good," Amethyst shrugged.

"Hey, do you guys mind giving me some time?" Sid asked the gems. They remained, unmoving. "I mean, like, _alone."_

"Oh! Hmm… Garnet?" Pearl looked up towards the fusion for a second opinion.

"Sure. Pearl stays, though," Garnet crossed her arms, leaving the Temple house with Amethyst.

"I'll just… I'm gonna go over here," Pearl sat on one of the bar stools, fiddling with her skirt and staring off into the distance.

"I just wish she could understand…" Sid whispered. Jasper's eyes cracked open, however she acted as if she was asleep. "The lives on this planet, they're all so valuable. Even if they don't live up to Homeworld's expectations, they still matter. I couldn't live with myself if I saw this planet destroyed. They deserve to live just as much as any gem on Homeworld." Sid looked up at Pearl. "How did you know you wanted to fight for Earth?"

"Everything I ever did was for Rose," Pearl admitted, a tear falling from her cheek. "I stayed and fought for her, indifferent as to whether the humans lived or died. All I cared about was Rose, at least until Steven came along. When Rose left us I didn't know what to do, and I guess I still don't. I'm sure that things will be okay, though. Steven is growing into a responsible, intelligent, and brave person, just like his mother." Pearl glanced at him. The sun was rising, hitting his cheeks with golden sunlight.

"Is that how you really feel about this _garbage_ planet?" Jasper murmured, eyes opening to meet Sid's.

"Of course it is, Jasper! Once you get to meet some of the life here, you'll know."

"I don't really have any other option, do I?" Jasper said angrily, feeling like a cornered animal. She couldn't escape them, and if she tried, she would easily be killed.

"You'll realize soon enough that Homeworld is cruel," Sid stood up, letting Jasper lie on the couch. "I'm just glad to get you out of Malachite."

"Uh… Is this still a dream?" Steven looked down at Jasper as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I wish," Jasper scoffed.

"What happened? Why is she here? I thought you and Lapis were fused at-"

"We unfused."

"Oh, okay. Is she one of us now?" Steven turned to Pearl and Sid.

"Definitely not. Give it some time, though," Phosphosiderite winked.

"As if I have any _choice_ in the matter _,"_ Jasper growled, glaring at the gems.

"Oh. Probably not, I guess," Steven briefly felt pity for her, however his emotions wavered as he remembered how she captured them all and fought against his mother.

Jasper placed herself in the corner of the beach house in an attempt to isolate herself, however Phosphosiderite followed her.

"I liked to sit here at first, too," Sid smiled weakly.

"You don't need to play nice. I know you guys hate me. It's only a matter a time before I'm gone for good," her eyes filled with tears before being frantically hidden by her hair.

"Jasper, how could you possibly believe that‽ I love you!" Sid's eyes grew wide as she realized her mistake. _Why did I just say that?_ "I-I mean…" She ran out the front door, leaving only Jasper and Steven in the room alone.

"So…" Steven trailed off, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm gonna go now. Garnet, watch Jasper!"

Once Garnet had arrived, Steven had left to find Phosphosiderite. She had hidden behind the same boulder they found her at years ago.

"Wow, that was awkward," he slid down the rock's surface, sitting alongside her.

"It's not funny, Steven! How am I supposed to explain that?" she buried her face in her hands. "I didn't want to tell her now. She just got here, and it's way too soon."

"Don't worry about it, Sid. Sometimes stuff happens too quickly, but at least the cat's out of the bag, right? I'm sure things will be okay," he patted her on the back and stood up, brushing the sand from his pyjamas. "I'm hungry. Let's go in so you can tell her all about the huge mistake you made," he laughed, grabbing her hand and leading her inside.

"No! Seriously Steven, I-" they had passed the door frame, and Sid found herself eye to eye with Jasper.

"I'll just let you two talk for a bit," Steven let go of Sid, leaving them alone in the corner of the room.

"Hey…" the silence smothered Sid, and all she wanted to do was run away. "About that-"

"Do you really feel that way?" Jasper stared at the gem with golden eyes, piercing through Sid's core.

"I didn't want you to know, not now… I just wanted you to get to know me again from all the years that were lost when we were apart. I know we've both changed since then. I've felt this way ever since we became friends, but I was so scared that if I told you, you wouldn't like me anymore, so I didn't tell you. I couldn't lose you," dread overwhelmed her being as Jasper ran from the house just as Sid had done minutes ago.

"Jasper! W-Wait! What's wrong?" She yelled through the window hastily.

"What is it with you guys and running away?" Steven wondered, smirking.

"Shut up, Steven. This is serious," Sid ran to follow her, arriving at the base of the temple.

"Jasper!" Sid called out. "There you are."

"I never stopped wanting you, not even after Yellow Diamond had hurt you," Jasper turned away from Sid to face the ocean, shrugging off her hands as the other gem tried to comfort her. After multiple attempts and multiple rejections, she had finally given up.

"You've always been like this," Sid growled, stepping away from Jasper. "Why won't you let _anyone_ do _anything_ for you? You could at least show some emotion-"

"You don't know what it's like to hide _everything_ you've ever felt, do you?" Jasper spat, trembling voice rising in anger. "I-I've never been able to feel, not for a _second!_ If I did, Yellow Diamond would make sure I ended up just like you."

Phosphosiderite's eyes filled with tears. "Jasper, I'm so sorry-"

"Whatever. It's not like it matters anymore." she sat near the water's edge, kicking at a loose stone.

"It does matter, though. You can always change yourself. Even if it doesn't happen overnight, and even if it's hard, it'll be worth it in the end."

They sat in silence, watching the water consume the shoreline. Finally, Jasper spoke, voice hushed and anxious.

"How?" Jasper stared at her in shock, hands trembling. "How do I do it?"

"Oh, uh…" Sid thought for a moment. "I guess the best way to start is to think about how you feel about something."

"I'm not stupid, Sid. I know that."

"I don't know what to tell you, then!" Sid exclaimed angrily. "Emotion is deeper than that. You just _feel_ what's inside of you, and then let it out. It doesn't take thought. Whatever you've been keeping inside of you for all these years must be ridiculous, so I guess for you it's like walking into a room so messy you don't know where to start."

Sid turned to meet Jasper. Tears were falling from her vacant eyes as they met Sid's.

"I missed you," Sid wrapped her arms around Jasper, embracing her in a hug.

"I'm sorry. I can't believe you still care about me after how I treated you," Jasper choked, burying her face into Sid's chest.

"Don't apologize. None of what you've been taught, and none of what happened to me was ever your fault," Sid whispered.

They lay intertwined for hours, sun setting and opening a new world of starlight and glistening ocean water. The tide had approached dangerously high, reaching Sid's waist.

"I don't wanna move, stupid water," she complained.

"Huh? Oh," Jasper muttered. "You're all wet."

"No kidding," Sid looked down at her clothing, now drenched in tears and salt water. "Come on, let's go inside. The others are probably worried about us."

Jasper helped Phosphosiderite up, spinning her around as she stood.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she giggled.

"Come here," Jasper smiled playfully, taking her into a dance.

Their fluid movements and interlocking gestures brought them closer to becoming a single being, eyes gleaming under the moonlight as they began to feel closer than they had ever thought possible.

"Jasper? Sid? Where are you guys-" Amethyst sauntered around the beach until she had discovered them. "You _fused?_ Oh, man, Garnet's gonna love that! Hey, Garnet!" Amethyst shouted towards the Temple. "Check it out!"

"What's the rush? I'm not goin' anywhere," the fusion beamed. "This feels _really_ nice."

"Jasper, Phosphosiderite, I know it probably does feel nice, but you two need to unfuse right now," Garnet ordered.

"Oh, come on! You're a fusion, though!" she insisted, remaining fused.

"I'm a _stable_ fusion," Garnet corrected.

"You don't know me! I could be more stable than you, for all you know," she grunted, crossing her arms.

"I _highly_ doubt that," Garnet boasted. "Until you've proven yourself a stable fusion, or at the very _least_ we know Jasper won't try anything, you can't stay fused."

"Whatever. Guess Rhodochrosite's gotta go," she transformed into two beings, phasing in and out of each other before finally remaining in their own.

"That was pretty great, right, Jasper?" Phosphosiderite stood up, stretching. She turned to look at Jasper, who remained on the ground with a shocked expression. "Jasper?"

"I didn't know fusion could feel that way…" she trailed off. "I always thought fusion was only for power, for weak gems who couldn't fend for themselves. _That_ , though..."

"What do you mean, Jasper?" Sid frowned, raising and eyebrow.

Jasper looked towards Garnet, who was smiling widely and on the verge of tears. "Ruby, Sapphire- Garnet, how do you feel when you fuse? Powerful?"

"Jasper," Garnet walked towards her. "Fusion is so much more than that. I- We don't fuse for power, we fuse because our love keeps us bonded together. We love each other so much, we can't stand to be away. _That's_ fusion, and that's why I'm Garnet. Never for power."

"That was the first time I'd ever fused without wanting to be my own," she glanced at Sid, giving her the first genuine smile she had seen in millennia.

"I think I know what you mean," Sid outstretched her hand, pulling Jasper up and into a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, let's go inside. I'm sure you can find _something_ to do around the Temple."


End file.
